This easy-to-rinse facial scrub contains small particles of a naturally derived ingredient known as polylactic acid. It's a fairly gentle ingredient, but it's no better at manually exfoliating skin than a washcloth. While manual exfoliation can be helpful for extra cleansing, it cannot provide the benefits you get from using a well-formulated AHA or BHA exfoliant (find out more here).

If you're a scrub fan and you want natural ingredients, we're sad to report that this over-fragranced product isn't a good choice. This is truly fragrance overload, and although scrubs are rinsed from the skin, exposing skin to such strong fragrance just isn't a wise move—especially not if you intend to use this scrub daily as directed. See More Info for further details.

Pros:

Leaves skin smoother and softer.

Rinses easily.

Cons:

Doesn't work any better than a soft washcloth with a water-soluble cleanser.

Highly fragranced formula poses a strong risk of irritation.

Results pale when compared with what's possible from an AHA or BHA exfoliant.

More Info:

Daily use of products that contain a high amount of fragrance, whether the fragrant ingredients are synthetic or natural, causes chronic irritation that can damage healthy collagen production, lead to or worsen dryness, and impair your skin's ability to heal. Fragrance-free is the best way to go for all skin types. If fragrance in your skin-care products is important to you, it should be a very low amount to minimize the risk to your skin (Sources: Inflammation Research, December 2008, pages 558–563; Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, June 2008, pages 124–135, and November-December 2000, pages 358–371; Journal of Investigative Dermatology, April 2008, pages 15–19; Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, March 2008, pages 78–82; Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, January 2007, pages 92–105; and British Journal of Dermatology, December 2005, pages S13–S22).

Strengths: Inexpensive; complete ingredient lists are provided on company Web site; some good cleansers; an impressive selection of reasonably well formulated moisturizers, both with and without sunscreen.

Weaknesses: No products to successfully address the needs of those with acne or skin discolorations; several products contain irritating fragrant oils; jar packaging; potentially weak preservative system compared with those of many other brands.

How this Israel-based brand of skin-care products came to be so widely distributed is an impressive marketing feat. It’s sold in over a dozen countries and we’ve seen it locally in such diverse places as Safeway (a grocery store) and Ulta (a salon/spa/cosmetics boutique). Business is booming in the natural products market, and it appears that the Yes To brand is on its way to being one of the frontrunners! Yes To products were even featured on the popular daytime talk show The View. Clearly, this line has attracted the attention both of consumers and the media.

Why all the fuss? We’ll do our best to explain, but the simple reality is that the success of this brand is due to the fact that lots of consumers want natural products, regardless of whether or not the formula is beneficial for skin. Many women (but not those who read our reviews) are completely unaware that many of the products from the so-called “natural” product lines contain just as many synthetic ingredients as “unnatural” brands. That’s no longer the case with Yes To products, but not too long ago, it was!

The Yes To brand is divided into four sub-brands: Yes To Carrots, Yes To Cucumbers, Yes To Tomatoes and Yes To Blueberries. The original launch and the largest group is Yes To Carrots. After the carrot-containing products became a hit, the company began to assemble a tossed salad of other products, including their Yes To Cucumbers, Yes To Tomatoes, and Yes to Blueberries. What next? We’re anticipating Yes To Lettuce and Yes To Blue Cheese Dressing, that way you can make a complete salad!

All kidding aside, Yes To products are worth a look if you prefer mostly natural ingredients, though not every natural ingredient Yes To uses has been proven beneficial for skin, and some are problematic. As with most natural-themed lines, there are a handful of Yes To products to consider. But few of them are state-of-the-art and there are no products to successfully manage acne or blackheads, lighten skin discolorations, or significantly reduce redness

Although it is commendable that Yes To doesn’t make over-the-top anti-aging claims, a skin-care line should help take care of skin’s daily needs, and this line’s products are somewhat lacking. All the fruits, vegetables, and any natural ingredient you can name isn’t enough to protect skin from the cumulative damage of unprotected sun exposure (the Yes To brand does sell a couple of excellent sunscreens) or to satisfy other skin-care needs. It’s a nice idea to think that tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries are as good for your skin when applied topically as they are for your health when consumed as part of a healthy diet, but that’s simply not the case. Still, if you shop this line carefully you’ll come away with some workable products that are pleasant to use.

For more information about Yes To and its food-themed brands, call (888) 929-3786 or visit www.yestocarrots.com.

About the Experts

The new Beautypedia Team proudly and unequivocally maintains the commitment to help you find the best products possible for your skin. We do this by relentlessly pursuing and relying on published scientific research so you will have unbiased information on what works and what doesn't-and the sneaky ways you could be making your skin worse, not better!

The Beautypedia Team reviews all products using the same research, criteria, and objectivity, whether the product being reviewed is from Paula's Choice or another brand.

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